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For Schools and Colleges
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Sutton Trust Summer School

Durham University's Sutton Trust Summer School is designed to give bright students from under-represented backgrounds the chance to experience what it is like to be a student at a leading university.

The summer school is a fantastic opportunity to find out more about applying to university, to meet some of our current students and work with one of our 25 academic departments. Durham is one of the Sutton Trust’s partner institutions, and as such, students will have access to support and resources from the Sutton Trust too. This programme is available for Year 12 students from UK state-maintained schools. Applications open on Monday 12 January to Thursday 5 March 2026.

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What does the Sutton Trust Summer School involve?

Students in Year 12/S5, who are successful in their application to the Durham University Sutton Trust Summer School programme, will be invited to attend a free summer school, spending the week in one of our 17 colleges. During this week, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Attend academic sessions, to find out more about what it would be like to study that subject at an undergraduate level. More information about which academic strands are on offer can be found on the Durham University page of the Sutton Trust Website.
  • Meet current Durham University students, who will act as your mentors for the week. Hear from them, first-hand, about their experiences of studying at Durham. 
  • Take part in a variety of extra-curricular activities, reflective of what’s available at Durham, to explore what you can get up to beyond your studies in Durham.
  • Access to high-quality, targeted application support, as well as information and advice around topics such as student finance, choosing a college, and succeeding at university. 
  • Network with like-minded students from across the country who are at the same stage of applying to University! 
  • Students who successfully complete the programme will be eligible for a guaranteed alternative offer should they apply to Durham University in Year 13. For those who meet subject specific requirements, this will reduce the grade requirements when applying through UCAS. More information will be provided during the programme.

To find out more information, go to Durham University's page on the Sutton Trust Summer School.

Applications open Monday 12 January 2026 and close Thursday 5 March 2026. 

If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Durham University Sutton Trust team at sutton.trust@durham.ac.uk.

  

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Check your eligibility

We use the Sutton Trust's eligibility and selection criteria to help us identify those applicants who would most benefit from the programme. To be considered, apply by Thursday 5 March 2026.

Check our eligibility criteria
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Choose your subject

For some subjects, you will need to meet specific requirements, such as A-levels or equivalent in your subject area, which also applies when applying for university through UCAS in Year 13. We will consider these when allocating subject strands.

Find out more about subject requirements

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